Revised Skills and Knowledges (3.5e Variant Rule)
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Revised Skills and Knowledges
| “ | Knowing is not enough; we must apply. | ” |
| —Bruce Lee, human martial artist | ||
In core D&D, the number of skill points you get is mainly governed by your class and Intelligence score. However, in a more true to reality situation, skills are the product of knowledge, and are borne from knowing when and how to apply your knowledge. This variant aims to fix the Intelligence-bias of the skill system and make it more dynamic with the game world.
Knowledge vs Skill
What was called 'skills' before is now divided into two categories. Knowledges are all skills that revolve around knowing and understanding certain subjects and processes. Skills are skills that function in the field or when physically or mentally interacting with objects or people.
Knowledges
- All Knowledge skills.
- Appraise.
- Decipher Script.
- Disable Device.
- Forgery.
- Martial Lore, Psicraft and Spellcraft, as well as skills that grant knowledge of other special ability components.
- Pilot (Int).
- Program.
Skills
- All Craft skills.
- All Profession skills.
- All skills that aren't Intelligence-based.
- Pilot (Dex).
Knowledge Points and Skill Points
Characters gain knowledge points and skill points separately. Characters gain 1 + Int, 3 + Int or 5 + Int knowledge points and 1 + Wis, 3 + Wis or 5 + Wis skill points every level, depending on their class. Knowledge and skill ranks work as in Pathfinder, allowing ranks up to your character level. You gain a +3 bonus to all class skills you put at least 1 rank into. You may spend knowledge points to get skills and skill points to get knowledges if you really want, but each 'cross rank' costs 2 points. You are free to redistribute knowledge and skill points if more of either become available to free up skill points previously spent on knowledges, or the other way around.
Knowledge Points and Skill Points by Class
To be done.
Skill Mastery
| “ | Willing is not enough; we must do. | ” |
| —Bruce Lee, human martial artist | ||
Knowledges and Skills are a dynamic thing. When challenged by adversity and constantly tested in the heat of the moment, a character may reach heights he never thought possible previously. If you perform exceptionally well on a knowledge or skill check, it may be accompanied by a flash of insight, as your comprehension of the skill grows. Characters that have constantly tested their skills under adverse conditions will end up with a mastery bonus to specific skill checks. This mastery bonus can not exceed half the number of ranks you have in the skill, rounded up (+1 at 1 rank, +2 at 3 ranks, etcetera).
Epiphany Roll
Whenever you roll a natural 20 on a knowledge or skill check, you may make an epiphany roll. You make a roll of 1d20 against a DC of 20 + your current mastery bonus in the skill. If you fail, you gain a cumulative +1 circumstance bonus on the next epiphany roll for that skill. If you succeed, your mastery bonus to that skill increases by 1, and your epiphany roll resets to +0.
If your mastery bonus is at its maximum, you cannot make epiphany rolls until that maximum increases.
The Many Forms of Mastery
A mastery bonus to a skill represents the sheer hard work and effort put into improving it within the game, even in situations of danger. They provide a raw bonus to the skill in question, but also open a gateway to different options.
Skill Tricks: Previously attained simply by spending skill points to create a special effects, you may now purchase skill tricks by allocating points of your mastery bonus in the relevant skill. This does not decrease the actual bonus when performing skill checks.
To be done.
Consequences of this Variant Rule
To be done.
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